A Story of Love
by devilishapples
Summary: Usagi is a Student at MICA in Baltimore and an up and coming romance writer. She's also so lonely that her heart feels like its breaking... and then the one man she ever loved comes back into her life.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Disclaimer: I don't own sailor moon, nor do I own any of the characters from Sailor moon.

Also this story was originally published on under my old user name IcesY so if it seems familiar it is.

Usagi Tsukino looked out of the window of her Baltimore apartment, at nineteen she was an up and coming writer of romance novels. And yet she had yet to experience the feelings of true love herself. Once a long time ago when she had lived in Tokyo with her family she had once thought that she had come close to love. But the man had disappeared without ever saying goodbye. Usagi had waited during the years from fourteen until seventeen for his return, he never did.

So after graduating high school she received a scholarship from the Maryland Institute of Creative Arts, or MICA. She had moved against her friends and families wishes to start a new life for herself far away from anyone who knew her. She had thrown herself into her schoolwork, her writing and her art. Though her dreams were still haunted by memories of the man that would forever hold her heart. Sighing she turned from the view of the Baltimore cityscape at the sound of her cell phone ringing. She glanced at the screen and scowled softly choosing to ignore her editor who was pushing at her to meet her deadline for her new book.

It just didn't seem to matter much this time, between classes and her writing she didn't have time for 'fun'. Not that she honestly felt that going out to clubs with friends was 'fun' but it got her thoughts off of her loneliness every so often. With a look of self-disgust on her face she flopped down heavily into her overstuffed leather couch and picked up the remote flipping the TV on and mindlessly surfed the channels. Soon her disgust heightened as she saw what was on the channels. Movies like _Sleepless in Seattle, while you were Sleeping, Never been kissed and you've got mail; _flipped by as she surfed with a snort she turned off the TV and tossed her remote across the room.

The remote soared and landed on the sleeping black cat that jumped up startled and hissed at Usagi.

'_You know instead of falling into a funk you could go out, or maybe finish your novel…'_

A husky sounding voice said in her head, Usagi opened one sapphire hued eye at the cat and made a face, then closed her eye again.

"Thank you very much Luna, but if I wanted to do that I would be doing it, now wouldn't I?" Usagi retorted to the strange feline.

Luna jumped from where she had been sleeping at the window and trotted across the living room to jump up on the couch next to her master and eyed the young girl with concerned eyes.

'_I'm serious Usagi, all you've done recently is mope around the apartment and depress _

_Yourself. You should go out and at least get some fresh air for a while, besides I want some salmon.'_

Usagi couldn't help but chuckle softly at her cats comment; she sat up and grabbed her keys and cell phone from the coffee table giving the cat a pained look as she stood her long blond hair swaying about her lithe body.

"You just want me to get you some food," Usagi said grumbling softly though she reached out with a hand and stroked it down the black cats back, much to Luna's pleasure of course.

'_Perhaps, but it will also do you some good Usagi.'_

The cat remarked between deep rumbling purrs, Usagi patted Luna's head then turned and picked up her coat knowing that her pet and loyal friend was right.

"I'll be back in a few hours Luna, stand guard," Usagi said with a grin and exited her apartment.

Once outside the apartment building Usagi tilted her head back enjoying the balmy Baltimore summer day, though truthfully the humidity was enough to drown one after too much time. Shaking off her dismal mood Usagi thought about hoping into her car and decided against it, instead she started walking down Broadway toward the deli. She thought about Luna, and grinned thinking back to the year before when she had found the mangy cat on the front step of her apartment building, Usagi being an animal lover had taken in the animal. She also remembered the first time she had heard Luna speak; she had been so shocked she almost admitted herself into the mental ward for a stint, thinking that stress from her writing and school had been getting to her.

She still wasn't sure how it was the animal was able to talk to her, but the cat had quickly turned into one of her closest friends and Usagi would do anything for the cat. The sound of motley crew coming from her phone pulled her thoughts from her feline friend as she hit the talk button and put it to her ear.

"What's up?"

A soft chuckle came over the line, "Hey Usagi, its Madeline I was wondering if you could come over to the office. I know you don't want to but the boss is ready to have an aneurysm."

Usagi grumbled softly but was already turning back toward the apartment building and her car, Luna would just have to wait a while longer for her fish.

"Yea I'm on my way Madeline, sorry I got the boss steamed I just didn't want to deal with anyone today, and she's harping at me about my deadline." Usagi explained on a sigh as she hit the button on her keychain to unlock and start the small sports car.

"No problemo Usagi, just thought I would try and get a hold of you," Madeline explained on a chuckle. "Crap got to go, she's glaring at me. See you when you get here."

Usagi opened her mouth to answer her friend but found she was talking to a dead line and chuckled as she maneuvered the car through the early afternoon Baltimore traffic. A short time later found her pulling up to a tall office building, she parked the car fed the meter and walked inside removing her mirror framed sunglasses. She waved to the security guard and moved to the elevator punched the up button and waited; after the doors opened she walked in and punched the third floor leaning back against the wall and closing her eyes for a moment.

The sound of the elevators bell caused Usagi to open her eyes again and she moved toward the doors, grumbling when she dropped her sunglasses. Leaning down she picked them up and moved to exit the elevator once more only to walk into a warm fleshy wall. Vice like hands caught her about her arms as she started to fall back and she blinked up into the most gorgeous midnight blue eyes she had ever seen.

"Miss are you alright?" A rumbling voice asked

Usagi shook off the man's arms and straightened the sleeves of her peasant's shirt before looking up at him, her eyes widened in shock as she stared up into a face that was all too familiar to her.

"Yes, I'm fine, Mamoru." Her voice shook slightly with her shock.

Mamoru stared down at the woman in front of him his brows knitting together in thought, there was something familiar about this girl but he couldn't place his finger on it. It was also odd that she knew who he was since he had only been in Baltimore for a few hours. He watched as she shook off his steadying hands and moved down the hall toward the publishing office his father had just bought.

Shaking his head he entered the elevator to see the woman looking back at him for a moment before the doors closed, as he rode down in the elevator he continued to think about the woman, even as he walked across the lobby waving to the security guard he continued to think about her. It wasn't until he was on the beltway in the middle of traffic on his motorcycle that he realized who she was, and the truth of it almost caused him to dump his bike.

Usagi Tsukino… his Usako was in Baltimore…

The only woman that he had ever given his heart too, and the one he had walked out on years before.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two

-Later that night-

Usagi tossed and turned on her bed, the sheets tangling around her body as sweat broke out on her skin in a fine sheen, she moaned softly in her sleep thrashing about, whispered words of love and sex talk filled her ears as she moaned deeply in her throat and thrashed about more. She continued to thrash around on her bed until with a thump she landed on the floor.

"What the..." she muttered trying to untangle herself from the sheets and comforter. Her dream came back to her in vague flashes and she groaned.

"Damn you Mamoru…"she muttered under her breath and struggled to her feet.

Luna who had been watching the girl in bed from her perch on the dresser tilted her head to the side slightly, wonder what was wrong with her master. The girl hadn't slept well the night before almost as if she were having a nightmare or maybe an erotic dream by the look of Usagi's flushed face.

'_Who's Mamoru? You were muttering his name in your sleep Usagi.'_

Usagi glanced at the cat giving her a dark look then grabbed up a towel and moved to her closet looking for a change of clothes to wear. She had to get her mind off of Mamoru, she had to or she would go nuts. So she was going to take another day off from her writing and go out with friends shopping. She pulled out a printed brown skirt that had a vine of pink lily's that went from hip to waist and a white baby t-shirt. Then picking up her hair brush she moved past the cat toward the bathroom.

'_Usagi? Who is Mamoru?'_

"He's no one Luna, not anymore at least." Usagi called back closing the door behind her.

Luna stared at the closed bathroom door then moved over to the window that Usagi always left open for her. A quick bunching of muscles had Luna jumping from the windowsill to the tree just outside; she quickly worked her way down the tree and to the road below. This Mamoru was someone, and Luna was going to find out who, because he still seemed to mean something to her master.

Inside the bathroom Usagi turned the shower on full blast and hot, very hot, she felt the need to scrub her body and cleanse it. Maybe it would help her cleanse her mind of Mamoru, and the time she had been happy, if only for a little while. Slowly she stripped out of her silk pajama bottoms and the camisole top she wore and climbed into the steaming spray. As the water beat rhythmically on her neck and shoulders Usagi began to soap up her bath sponge and stared at the pale blue tile. The steam swirled in hazy shapes before her eyes and drew her thoughts back to a time more than five years before…

-flash-

_Usagi came out of the arcade after talking with Motoki, well more like comforting him, she added silently with a smile. She glanced down at her watch then moved across the street to the park and into the rose garden. She paused every so often to touch the velvet petals of the flowers, some white, and some lavender some a pale pink. They were all beautiful but she had a destination in mind, she moved with quickening steps toward the center of the rose garden and smiled when she saw a man with short cropped black hair sitting on the stone bench under the red rose bower. _

_Going onto her tip toes she moved silently up behind the man and watched him for a moment, he had a book open on his lap and while reading was casually taking notes with his free hand. His broad shoulders stretched the seams of the most hideous green jean jacket, and his midnight colored eyes were hidden from her view by black sunglasses. She gently placed her hands over his eyes, suppressing a giggle._

"_Guess who."_

_Mamoru stiffened a minute then grinned as he leaned back against Usagi, then he set his book and notes to the side and slowly drew her hands from his eyes placing a kiss on each before pulling them down to rest on his shoulder._

"_Could it be a beautiful woman with a curvaceous body and big boobs?" he asked in a mock hopeful voice._

_With a playful shriek Usagi disengaged her hands from Mamoru's and began to pound on his shoulder with her fists lightly. Mamoru tried to stifle his laughter; it lasted only a moment before he was laughing so hard his side ached. Usagi growled and encircled his thick neck with her small hands playfully squeezing._

"_It's not nice to laugh at me Mamo-chan!" She hissed in his ear._

_Mamoru twisted about on the bench to face her and smiled up into her loving face before cupping her cheek in his palm. "I was right; it's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. And she's here for me, and all mine. I love you Usako…"_

Usagi blinked back tears and scrubbed her face all the harder, why had this happened now? She had been happy with her life as it was going. She shook her head at herself knowing that she was lying to herself. She was lonely, so lonely she felt as if there was a hole in her chest. A festering, bleeding gaping hole, she thought bitterly as she leaned her forehead against the fogged tile and tried to force Mamoru from her thoughts once again.

"It's not fair." She whispered brokenly as she began to cry once more.

"Why do I have to continue to suffer?"

With an angry jerk Usagi turned off the water and climbed out of the shower shivering as she towel dried her body then wrapped the towel around her long hair. She dressed quickly and moved into her kitchen starting a pot of coffee, as the comforting sound of the Mr. Coffee started she picked up her phone and dialed a random number from the contacts list. She listened at is rang, then when a groggy voice came over the line she forced a brightness to her voice she wasn't feeling.

"Hello?" The voice muttered

"Ami! Sorry I woke you, I was wondering if you'd mind if I came up to jersey to visit you." Usagi said realizing that she had called her childhood friend.

Silence, then.

"Usa-chan it's early and I have tests today."

Usagi glanced at her clock and blinked seeing that it was indeed early, it was only seven in the morning. She sighed knowing that her friend was right. "Sorry Ami, I didn't really it was this early. I'll let you get some sleep, good luck on your tests."

Without waiting for a response she hit the cancel button and flopped back on her couch sinking deeper into her depression. As the rich aroma of coffee filled the apartment she stood the phone still held in one hand as she moved into the kitchen and poured herself a cup. She added a lot of cream, real cream not the nasty powdered stuff and sugar.

"I know what I'll do." She muttered touching lifting a hand to her waist length hair as she finished her coffee.

"Yes that's what I need."

Usagi tossed her mug in the sink and grabbed her car keys from the counter and went outside to her car. Sliding behind the wheel she drove the twenty minutes to the Towson mall and walked into the large four story building. A glance at the directory told her where she needed to go and she hurried in the direction of Colors. A new hair salon that had opened up the week before, she paused looking into the candle shop then continued on her way. Usagi reached the retro place and paused just inside the door wondering what to do now.

The receptionist looked up and flashed a kilowatt smile, "Welcome to Colors, how may I help you today."

Usagi's lips slowly turned up in a smile, "Hello I would like to get a haircut."

The receptionist eyed the young girl a moment, "A trim then?"

Usagi shook her head, "No, I want to cut it all off."

As Usagi followed the receptionist to the chair the only thing in her mind was that Mamoru had once told her never to cut her hair.

'Well I don't have a reason not to anymore…' Usagi thought to herself as she sat down to wait.


	3. Chapter 3

Usagi climbed behind the wheel of her car and stared at her reflection in the mirror, her once waist length hair was now neatly cropped and layered around her jaw line. She had also paid the stylist to perm it so that it fell in ringlets around her face; she pulled on one of the curls and made a face at herself in the mirror. Honestly she felt much better having made a change in her life, almost like casting off the shadows of the past. She turned the ignition in and pulled out of the parking spot wondering what she would do now, she glanced at the time and smiled, she could just make the start of the afternoon showings at the theater.

She drove the three blocks down to the large two story theater and climbed out looking at the movie postings. A slow smile spread over her lips as she decided what movie she would see, she walked up to the box office and tapped softly on the window to get the cashiers attention.

"Welcome to Cinema Six how may I help you today?" A young man asked from behind the glass.

"One for _My Super Ex-Girlfriend_ please." Usagi said suppressing her giggles until she had paid for her ticket and went to get a large bucket of popcorn with extra butter.

"It does have some irony..." she muttered and thanked the girl behind the concession stand counter.

As Usagi found her seat in the middle of the theater not too far up; and not too far back, but just right. She realized that for the first time in years she was actually almost happy with herself. She didn't know if it was the haircut, or the extra fattening popcorn but she really was in a good mood. She munched on her snacks and watched the movie by the time it was over she was covering a yawn behind her hand, but reluctant to go home. She saw that it was almost four and squinted up at the sky, she didn't have to go home yet, it wasn't like she had a curfew like when she had been a kid.

She moved across the street and climbed into her car then tapped her fingers against the steering wheel thoughtful. After a moment she picked up her phone and dialed the number for her friend Amanda.

"Hey Usagi, what's up?" A cheery voice came over the line.

"Manda, hey feel like hitting up Spotlight tonight? I can be there in three hours if I push it real hard."

"Let me check my schedule," tapping could be heard over the phone as Amanda looked her daily schedule up on her computer. "Okay I'm free I'll just move some appointments until day after tomorrow depending on how late we stay out."

"Sounds great Manda, I'll run home really quickly to put food out for Luna then head you see you in a few hours." Usagi said and hung up as she pulled out of her parking space and headed home.

Usagi walked into the apartment and looked around for her cat, not seeing her she frowned slightly then moved into the kitchen setting out some dry cat food, and cutting up a bit of roasted salmon sprinkling it on top for an extra treat. She moved into her room and pulled off her brown skirt and white baby t-shirt and dug in her closet until she found the dress that she had designed the year before. It was strapless and black, the back was open except for crisscrossing cords, the skirt while not 'short' was at a diagonal angle, the highest point stopped just below her right hip, and the longest part stopped at her left knee. It was made of a light satin, and had three layers of black silk that layered from the empire cut bodice.

Tossing the dress on the bed Usagi went back to her closest and pulled out a pair of thigh high brushed leather boots that turned down at the tops, and a short waist cut suede jacket. Grinning she changed into her dress and stared at the boots thinking about the three hour drive into Pennsylvania. She went back one last time and grabbed a pair of black flats slipping them onto her feet as she snatched up her jacket, boots, and purse which she had stuck hooker red lipstick into, grey eye shadow and a small bottle of perfume.

As she moved into the living room again, she looked for the cat then scrawled a note on a pad of paper on the coffee table telling Luna where she'd be and left. She was happy for the first time in years, she wasn't going to stay in the apartment and loose her good mood.

- Another part of Baltimore-

Luna trotted along the sidewalk narrowly having her tail stomped on every once and a while. She paused looking up at the tall apartment building and nodded, she had gone to Usagi's publisher in hopes of finding out more about this Mamoru. She had overheard that he was living at the empire apartments, so she had made her way over to the building. However she was unsure of what she should do now, after all she didn't have any idea what this Mamoru even looked like, not to mention after all she was just a cat.

She sat outside the apartment building her tail twitching in thought as she studied the people coming and going from the building. Suddenly pain shot up her tail and she yowled like she was dying, flopping over to her side.

"I'm sorry kitty," a deep masculine voice said.

Luna looked up at the man above her; he had short cut black hair that fell over a pair of midnight colored eyes. She hissed softly when he attempted to pick her up as she moved her tail slowly to see if it was broken.

'_Humans…'_she thought bitterly.

Mamoru stared down at the pretty black cat guilt swamping him that he had stepped on her in his rush. But he also wondered why it was just sitting out in front of the building alone. He attempted to pick it up and drew back at the warning sound emerging from the feline; he sat back on his haunches and ran a hand through his hair. He was in a hurry but he also couldn't just leave the animal out here, especially if he had injured it.

"Please kitty, let me pick you up and take you somewhere safe." He said feeling slightly stupid for talking to the cat like it could understand what he was saying.

He attempted to pick up the cat once more and was glad when it allowed him to; he retraced his steps into the apartment building and nodded to the door man before walking into the elevator. As he rode up the fourteen floors to his apartment the cat ducked its head against his neck and trembled slightly. He started to pet it trying to calm down the animal, the doors slid open directly into his penthouse apartment and he set the cat down smiling at it.

"Let's see if I can find you some food kitty, then I need to go out for a while." He said moving into the kitchen and looking in the fridge.

Luna looked around the apartment silently then wandered through the living room and seeing some papers on the coffee table hopped onto the white leather couch and leaned over trying to see what they said. She felt her eyes widen as she read the name, _Mamoru Chiba_, could it be possible that she had stumbled onto Usagi's Mamoru?

Mamoru came back into the living room and grinned at the cat sitting on his couch and picked her up gently an arm around its furry belly. He walked back into the dining room and set it on the table placing a bowl of chopped pork and fish in front of it. He ran a hand down the cats back and grinned when she started to chow down on the food.

"Now puss, I need to go out for a few hours. But make yourself at home." He said shaking his head at himself again.

Luna purred as she devoured the meat in the bowl then watched as the man left the apartment locking the door behind him. Maybe she really had stumbled on to Usagi's Mamoru, but she didn't know why he made her master so upset. He had wonderful hands, and good quality pork, she thought as she continued to purr finishing the food.

Usagi pulled her car outside Amanda's townhouse and honked the horn, a moment later her friend emerged. Amanda had short brown hair and dark eyes almost black. She was dressed in a short denim skirt and a black halter top; in her hand she carried a blue jean jacket and a pair of black pumps.

"Hey girl sorry it took so long to get here." Usagi said then held her breath trying to suppress a smile.

Amanda climbed into the car not looking toward Usagi and then turned to respond to her friend. She felt her eyes widen at Usagi's short curly hair, her mouth dropped open as she continued to stare. Finally her brain caught up with her mouth and she shrieked.

"What the hell did you do to your hair?"

Usagi burst out laughing as she pulled on one of the short curls, "I felt the need for a change. Does it look bad?"

Amanda shook her head still staring, "Not bad, and just really really different."

Usagi chuckled as she pulled the car away from the curb shaking short curls out of her eyes and maneuvered toward the strip downtown and _Spotlight_. She felt a shiver of premonition crawl up her spine and shook it off; nothing was going to ruin her good mood. Twenty minutes later found the two friends in a club with blaring techno music and strobbing lights. Usagi looked around trying to keep the goofy smile off her face as she noticed the number of men glancing her way. She turned at a tap on her shoulder and tilted her head at Amanda.

"I'm going to go to the bar, Donald's working tonight." Her friend shouted over the throbbing music.

Usagi grinned and waved Amanda off toward her fiancé and smiled as a man about her age shyly asked her to dance. She moved out on to the dance floor and let her body sway and twist to the fast music. It was going to be a good night, who knew she might even meet someone.

As the night wore on Usagi continued to dance in abandon, taking small breaks to collect a long island ice tea from Donald or yell a few words at Amanda. She moved back on to the dance floor and grinned brightly at the man that she was partnering with even if he was getting a little too fresh with her. He kept rubbing his crotch against her ass or hip causing her to scowl slightly, but with her mind fuzzy from drink it wasn't that big of a deal, was it?

Mamoru entered _Spotlight_ with his friend Nephrite, and looked around already wincing at the loud music and pulsing lights. He shot a glare at the shorter man wondering what had possessed his friend into thinking he would like a place like this. He surveyed the dance floor his eyes drawn toward an energetic blond that was dancing as if it was her last night of freedom. There was something familiar about her but he shook his head making his way toward the bar, and ordered a jaeger-ball. He drank his drink quickly and turned to talk to Nephrite only to realize he was already on the dance floor. Mamoru let out a deep sigh and leaned back against the bar his eyes once again drawn to the blond, and her overly friendly dance partner.

Usagi was really getting annoyed now, she had brushed the guys' hands from her ass numerous times and he kept putting them back there. She had resorted to slapping at his hands now every time he tried, but he just seemed to think it was some sort of game.

"Come on baby, you wear a dress like that and expect me to keep my hands to myself?" The guy whispered into her ears as he ground his hips into hers.

"Yes, I wore the dress because I like it. I've tried to be polite but I'm leaving." Usagi left trying to pull away from the man.

"My thoughts exactly," he said with a husky whisper.

Usagi felt a fission of fear march up her spine as she stared into his drink clouded eyes.

"Come on baby, I have a truck out back." The guy said and began to pull her in the direction of the stage and the exit there.

Usagi shot a look for Amanda as she dug her heels in against the guy, not wanting to cause a scene. She noticed that her friend wasn't at the bar anymore and Donald was serving drinks to a crowd and would never even hear her if she screamed. In fact she doubted anyone would even notice anything was wrong until it was far too late.

"I don't want to go with you." She tried again to pull herself free from the man.

"Come on bitch, you've been teasing me all night. The least you can do is pay up." The man growled back at her.

"No!"

The man drew back a hand and slapped Usagi hard causing her to stumble back with a cry and bump her hip hard against the stage. She was free for a moment before the man took a hold of her arm once more.

"Now come on." He snarled in her face, the smell of his breath was heavy with the whiskey he had been drinking all night.

"I don't think she wants to go with you." A deep voice laced with rage said from behind her.

Usagi struggled to shake off the effects of the man slapping her and her own fuzzy drunkenness, and focus on the man behind her.

"What do you know?" The man holding her snarled.

"It's obvious that if you have to assault the lady that she's not willing. Even you can figure that out you bastard." The deep voice said.

The man holding Usagi flew back and she was suddenly released as a fist connected with her captors jaw. She stumbled back once more unsteady in her drunken state and the four inch heels of her boots she fell toward the stage once more, this time her head struck the wood with a sickening 'thunk'. She felt strong arms wrap around her gentle and lift her into the air. She struggled to clear her vision and gasped staring up into the face of Mamoru Chiba for the second time in two days. Then her head lolled back over his arm as she lost consciousness.

Mamoru stared the drunk down then caught the woman up in his arms, he looked down to see if she was okay and found himself staring into a shocked pair of cobalt eyes. He had seen the woman being drug off the dance floor from across the club and had leapt into action. But he had never thought that the woman had been Usagi, he knew that it was now as he watched her fall into unconsciousness in his arms. He glanced around a moment then stepped over the drunk he had knocked out and out the exit to get some fresh air and to see if Usagi was okay.


	4. Chapter 4

By: Ices

"_Look Usako, the stars, someday I'll buy you the stars." Mamoru said looking down at the girl that rested her head in his lap._

_Usagi giggled softly as she shifted her position on his lap, and grinned up at him reaching up to playfully pull on a lock of black hair. _

"_Mamo-chan I don't need the stars, with you by my side I will always be happy with whatever we have together." _

_Mamoru swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat at Usagi's words, what had he ever done to deserve someone as great at Usagi. He ran a hand through her long hair sifting the golden strands through his fingers. He would do anything for his Usako, anything to keep her at his side._

"_You know I love you… right Usako?" He asked is a husky voice_

_Usagi nodded her head a bit in his lap laughing softly when he squirmed a little, "I know Mamo-chan, and I love you, more than you'll ever know." She stared back up at the stars twinkling overhead. "You're my happiness after all." She said quietly and twined her fingers through his._

"Why can't I forget you…?" A broken voice came from Mamoru's chest and he looked down at the woman in his arms, shaking off his own memories of the two of them.

"Because in your heart you don't want to forget me," he said softly.

Usagi shook her head and winced as the world spun dizzily, "Let me down Mamoru." She said pushing at his chest.

Mamoru stared at Usagi and slowly set her on her feet keeping a steadying hand on her arm as she swayed dangerously. He caught sight of her shorn hair and felt a lump rise in his throat, she had cut it. He stared down in to her cobalt eyes and saw such a deep sadness, and somehow he knew that he was the cause.

Usagi shoved Mamoru's hand away and took a few rapid steps back leaning on someone's car trying to clear her head. She looked at the tall man from the space of a few feet between them and her heart started to beat rapidly.

'He can still make my pulse speed up without trying.' She thought to herself.

"What are you doing here Mamoru?" She asked putting a hand to her aching head.

"I came with Nephrite, you remember him don't you?"

Usagi nodded and looked at the large metal door that lead back into the club, "I remember him. He dated Naru for a while, and also Makoto." She replied then looked back at him.

"Yea, he drug me here. I didn't really want to come, but he said I needed time out." Mamoru explained lamely.

Usagi arched a brow and for a moment thought she saw a shadow of her own loneliness in his eyes. She shook her head and took a deep breath; he had nothing to be lonely about. He had walked out on her, not the other way around. She had been the one left wondering where her love had gone. She reached up with a trembling hand and pulled on one of the ringlets next to her ear.

Mamoru saw her pull on the short curl and almost winced as he again looked at the short locks. "You cut you hair."

"Yea it was getting too heavy, and I had no reason to leave it long anymore." Usagi stated flatly.

Mamoru stared up at the stars a moment unable to meet her gaze as memories roamed through his mind.

-flash-

_Usagi sat cuddled against Mamoru's side at a booth in the arcade; he lifted one of the long tails of golden hair in his hand and played with it. He loved the texture, it was like warm silk in his hands, and he lifted it to his mouth and kissed it softly._

"_You know Mamo-chan, one day I may cut it all off. Then you wouldn't be able to play with it so much." Usagi said grinning up at him through her eyelashes. _

_Mamoru's heart skipped a beat at the thought of her cutting off her hair, he looked down at her smiling face, "Promise me Usako that if you change anything about you that you won't ever change your hair."_

_Usagi giggled softly and kissed his neck then picked up a french fry and offered it to him, "So you only love me for my hair? Really Mamo-chan, it does grow back."_

_Mamoru nipped her fingers playfully as he took the offered french fry and turned a serious look to her. "Please Usako, anything but your hair."_

_Usagi appeared to be thinking about the offer then nodded as she cuddled closer to him, "Okay Mamo-chan, I won't ever change my hair."_

"You promised that you wouldn't cut it Usako," He said softly not looking at her.

Pain and anger flash through Usagi at the same time and it clouded her eyes, "You don't have the right to make request from me Mamoru, and you don't have the right to call me that anymore. You haven't had the right for five years."

Anger gave way rapidly to pain as she continued to stare at Mamoru. He had left her, without a goodbye. Just disappeared one night, telling no one he was going. And now he was back, like he could just walk back into her life.

"Five years Mamoru!" She almost shouted at him. "Where the hell have you been? Who the hell do you think you are?" she screamed at him her voice gaining in volume.

Mamoru looked back at Usagi quickly masking the pain in his eyes, "I had to go Usagi."

"That's it? That's your great excuse? 'You had to go'? If that's the best you can offer me Mamoru, then you never…." Her voice faded to silence as tears glimmered in her eyes and she struggled to gain control.

"I never what?" He asked softly.

Usagi swallowed hard, "Then you never loved me."

Mamoru's heart began to break as he stared at Usagi, her words echoed accusingly in his head. "Is that what you really think Usagi?" He asked softly.

Usagi shook her head roughly curls bouncing around her head at the movement. "I don't know what to think Mamoru, I really don't. You tell me, if I walked… no just disappeared like you did. Would you think now that I had ever loved you?"

Mamoru opened his mouth then closed it finally saying, "No probably not. But I had my reasons Usagi, I really did."

Usagi reached a trembling hand out to him and slowly curled her fingers into a fist, "Then tell me why!" she cried softly.

Mamoru focused sorrow filled blue eyes on Usagi, "I can't…" He said brokenly as memories once more filled his mind.

_Mamoru looked up at the two story brick building and took a breath before moving through the door. He smiled nervously at the secretary at the desk as he approached, "Hello I'm supposed to have a meeting with Kenji Tsukino." He said hoping his voice didn't quiver as much as he thought it did._

_The secretary smiled warmly, "Are you Mamoru Chiba?"_

_Mamoru could only nod._

"_Please follow me," The secretary said and stood walking down a long hallway that had only one door at the end, she knocked softly then stuck her head in. "Tsukino-san, Chiba-san is here to see you." She opened the door wider and motioned Mamoru through. _

_Mamoru smiled nervously as he moved past the woman and into the large office, he studied the man behind the large desk nervously._

"_Please have a seat Mamoru." Kenji said neither smiling nor rising from his own seat._

_Mamoru swallowed heavily and seated himself at the very edge of the chair._

"_I will get straight to the point Mamoru," Kenji said studying the young man over the rim of his glasses._

"_Yes sir." Mamoru said a feeling of dread circling his heart._

"_I don't want to see you anywhere near my daughter; I don't want you to think her name. I don't want you to even ask about her at all." _

_Mamoru felt his mouth fall open as he stared at the older man, "Can I at least say goodbye? Tell her why I'm leaving?"_

"_No, if I see you anywhere near my daughter, or house I will have you arrested." Kenji said lifting a cigar from the wooden box on his desk and clipping the tip of it._

_Mamoru stood and put his hands on top of the desk, "Sir this is unfair, not only to me but to Usagi! She won't know why I left, she'll hate me." _

_Kenji glanced at Mamoru over the top of his glasses once more, "Exactly…"_

"'I can't' 'I had my reasons' You're not telling me anything new Mamoru." Usagi said tears streaming down her face unchecked. "How do you expect me to believe you?"

Mamoru opened his mouth to defend himself lifting a pleading hand then lowered it, staring helplessly at Usagi.

Usagi shook her head again brushing her curls back from her face, "I don't want to hear it anymore Mamoru. I don't care anymore." She lied as she moved brushing past him.

Mamoru turned his heart breaking all over again, "We were happy once…" It wasn't a question.

Usagi's hand curled around the metal handle and she pulled the door opening, "Once we were happy Mamoru…you ruined that." She said without looking back at him, and then slipped back into the club.

Mamoru watched the door bang closed and to him it sounded like a cell door slamming shut on his heart. He turned looking up at the starlit sky tears slowly making their way down his cheeks. He heard the door opening again but didn't turn to see who it was; he searched the sky for a sign.

"Hey Mamoru, you okay?" Nephrite asked looking at his friend in some shock.

Mamoru smiled softly, "No, but maybe perhaps I will be." He said softly his eyes following a lone star that fell making its way across the sky.

He had to make a plan.

He would win back her heart.


	5. Chapter 5

Usagi leaned back against the exit door for a moment and tried to clear her head, it was still fuzzy from the drinks she had earlier, not to mention the bump forming over her left temple and the argument with Mamoru. She suddenly realized how mentally and physically tired she was, her body ached and throbbed almost in time to the music and lights in the club. This night it would seem had been a bust, she sighed the familiar loneliness filling her until she wanted to scream. She just wanted to be able to forget she had ever met Mamoru Chiba, was that so hard?

Apparently it was, she saw Nephrite coming toward the door and quickly ducked into the crowd. She didn't want to have to deal with anyone else from her past, especially not Mamoru's best friend. She made her way slowly toward the bar and flagged Donald over; he nodded and held up a finger to her as he filled someone's drink. A moment later Donald stopped in front of her and gave her a concerned look.

"What's up Usagi?" He asked in his rumbling drawl, an ever present cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth.

"Can you tell Amanda I had to go? I'll drive back to the townhouse if you two don't mind me staying the night." She said in a watery voice.

"Sure thing, but should you really be driving," he asked leaning down to her.

"I'll be careful; I just have to get out of here…" Usagi said forcing a grin to her lips.

Donald eyed her for a moment longer then reached under the bar and pulled out a ring of keys handing them to her.

"Spare keys; always have them here in case a friend needs to crash." He explained.

Usagi smiled her thanks and took the keys depositing them into her purse and swayed on her boots slowly toward the door, she nodded to the bouncer as she slipped out into the cool evening air. She tilted her head back on her neck closing her eyes and took in a deep breath, when she opened her eyes again, tears still showed in their depths but not as near to the surface.

'I'll be okay…'she thought to herself.

She moved toward her car and unlocked it with the button on the keychain; after she climbed in she caught a glance of her face in the mirror and chuckled softly to herself. If it sounded a little hysterical to her ears, that was okay right? But she knew now why Donald had given her such a strange look, mascara and eyeliner had tried in tracks on her cheeks where she had been crying earlier. She was a mess, both in appearance and mentally.

She put the car into gear and slowly pulled out of her spot, she need to run. She needed to think, she needed to forget. She pulled onto the highway pressing down the gas a bit harder than needed, as the car picked up speed she let out a contained breath. She needed to get away from her past; she had though she had, until tonight. Usagi mindlessly drove along the familiar roads as he mind once more drifted back to the past.

_Usagi sat curled in the window seat in her room, her eyes were puffy and red, and her hands trembled as they clasped a golden locket in her hand. She sniffed and wiped at her tears, with trembling hands she opened the locket and a soft melody began to fill her room. Tears swelled and ran down her cheeks anew as she hummed softly to the song, she glanced down at the street outside her room. Her swollen eyes widened at a shadow by the street light. She hurried to the door of her room and down the flight of stairs uncaring of the fact that she was in her pajamas. _

_She struggled with the dead bolt on the door then flung it open her bare feet slapping painfully against the cold hard sidewalk, she ran around the side of the house where her bedroom was and stared across the street her heart breaking. He wasn't there; he hadn't been there for weeks._

"_Mamo-chan, where are you…" she cried softly into the night._

_Slowly she fell to her knees uncaring of the impact against the sidewalk; the locket slowly fell from her trembling hands as her body shook with sobs. She cried like her heart was being ripped out, slowly she collapsed onto the side walk her tears quiet as her body shuddered violently. She stared at the open locket on the sidewalk next to her its soft melody still playing into the night._

"_Mamo-chan…"She whimpered reaching a hand out as if reaching for something._

Usagi slammed on her breaks suddenly and her small car slide in the water, it had started to rain at some point. The car fishtailed and continued to slide, her still intoxicated reflexes strained as she struggled to bring the vehicle under control. She had a moment to scream as the car smashed into the pylon before her head was thrown to the side and she slumped against the steering wheel. Blood slowly trickled down the side of her face from her temple, the tempered glass of the driver's side window was shattered a spatter of blood in the center of the break.

The glove compartment had opened on impact and a small golden locket fell from it landing on the passenger seat, a soft melody filled the silent night.

Mamoru settled himself against the window of the passenger side of the car as Nephrite drove them to the hotel they had reserved rooms at for the night. Neither of them having been looking forward to the three hour drive back to Baltimore. He clung a bit tighter to the handle of the door as Nephrite took a wet curve a bit too fast for Mamoru's taste. He hated the rain, he had hated it since he had been a small child and his mother had died in a car wreck.

He let out a tight breath and lightened his hold on the door glancing about Pittsburgh with a curious eye. A shadow of red caught his attention and he tapped Nephrite on the shoulder.

"Turn around; I thought I saw a car wrecked into the pylon back there." Mamoru said his chest tight. This was why he hated the rain; people have a much larger chance of getting hurt.

Nephrite shot his friend a look out of the corner of his eye as he pulled a U-turn slowly in the middle of the street and drove back the way they had come.

"Tell me when to stop Mamoru," he said straining to see through the sheets of rain.

"Stop!" Mamoru yelled.

Nephrite stopped the car and Mamoru jumped out even before he turned off the engine.

"Call 911 Nephrite!" Mamoru yelled over his shoulder as he rushed across the street to the red car.

Mamoru approached the car fearing the worst when he saw the broken driver's side window. His midnight eyes scanned the street to see if maybe the driver had been tossed out of the car, he let out a breath when he saw no bodies on the street. The driver had been wearing a seatbelt, smart driver. He slowly approached the drivers' door and tried to pull it open, it didn't budge. He peered into the windshield and saw a familiar head of blond curl.

"Usako…" Mamoru said and his heart seemed to stop.

He moved around to the side of the car again and braced a foot against the back door and pulled on the handle again. After what seemed like an eternity the door wrenched open and he leaned in, it was Usagi. A shadow of dread started to settle over him as he quickly checked her pulse; he almost fainted when he found the steady thread of live. He un-buckled the girl and pulled her out of the car into his arms. He noticed the blood on the side of her face and swallowed hard, there was swelling as well.

"Hang in there Usako…" he said softly against her ear hoping she could hear him.

As Mamoru stood in the sheet like rain holding Usagi, he could only picture the sorrow and absolute brokenness he had seen in her eyes earlier that night. And as the sound of sirens came to his ears he thought that maybe, she didn't think she had a reason to hold on.

His heart almost stopped at the thought.

"Please stay with me Usako; I can't lose you… not again." He whispered brokenly.


	6. Chapter 6

A Story of Love – Chapter Six

Mamoru watched as the paramedics placed Usagi on the gurney and wheeled her into the back of the ambulance, he turned to talk to Nephrite and let the other man know that he was going to ride with Usagi when Nephrite nodded in understanding.

"I'll follow you in the car, is there anyone I should call?" Nephrite asked

Mamoru started to shake his head and motioned for the paramedics to wait, "Ami is in New Jersey currently. Also maybe you should call Makoto, and the others?"

Nephrite nodded already dialing Makoto's number, his wife was going to be worried when she heard the news about Usagi, and mad that Mamoru was in the states with him.

Mamoru smiled his thanks and jumped into the back of the ambulance, the paramedic closed the doors and the siren wailed as the drove off into the night towards Pittsburgh General Hospital.

-Flash Back-

_Usagi emerged from the library at Tokyo University and squinted up at the bright sun overhead. Her hair worn loose to her hips swayed in a slight breeze. With a sigh she looked around the courtyard and started toward the cafeteria._

"_Usa!" A voice called from her right, and Usagi smiled as she turned and Makoto ran up to her and gave her a hug, however the smile froze on Usagi's face as she spotted Makoto's boyfriend Nephrite._

_Nephrite was one of Mamoru's best friends and he refused to tell her where Mamoru had disappeared to, not that it mattered anymore. Not after today since all the arrangements had been finalized. _

"_... arry me!" _

_Usagi blinked away from the cold look on Nephrites face confused by it and turned back to Makoto, "What was that Mako?"_

_Makoto frowned noticing the dark circles that had been a part of her friends face for over two years now, "I said that Nephrite has asked me to marry him!" _

"_Really?! That's... that's wonderful Mako!" Usagi said truly happy for her friend but still feeling a deep sadness well up in her chest. "When's the wedding?"_

"_In a six months, you'll come right?" Makoto asked searching her friends face_

_Usagi smiled slightly her lips trembling, "Actually I have some big news of my own."_

_Usagi remained silent so long Makoto shook her friend slightly, "Well?!"_

"_I've been accepted to MICA in Baltimore, Maryland in America. I leave at the end of the week." Usagi said not looking at the couple._

"_That's wonderful Usa!... wait America? You'll be able to come to the wedding right?" Makoto asked her green eyes tearing up slightly as she realized how hard it would be for her friend to make it home for the wedding._

"_Sorry Mako, that's right in the middle of my semester there... I won't be able to make it sadly." Usagi said still not looking at the other woman._

_Makoto cleared her throat, "That's okay Usa! We can have a party before you leave Japan!"_

"_That sounds wonderful Mako," Usagi said then excused herself and walked off quickly leaving Makoto and Nephrite to stare after her._

"_She'll heal right Nephy?" Makoto asked the man at her side, her words drifting up to Usagi's ears_

_-End Flashback-_

"She's flat lining! Get the crash cart ready!" A paramedic yelled out

Mamoru clutched Usagi's hand as the medical professionals worked on her and the ambulance careened down the road.

"Sir, I need you to let go of her!" One of the paramedics yelled in Mamoru's face shaking him slightly, which made Mamoru think that the man had been trying to get his attention for a while.

Mamoru shook his head his lips trembling, "I can't..."

The paramedic gave Mamoru what was supposed to be a comforting look and patted his shoulder, "If you don't let go of her hand we can't save her."

Mamoru let the paramedic pry his hands from around Usagi's and he watched as they cut away her dress and shocked her with the cardiac paddles.

-Flash Back-

_Mamoru looked across the desk at Usagi's father baffled as to why the man that had always been polite to him would show this demenor now. _

"_Why sir? Why are you trying to force Usako and I apart?" He asked placing his hands on Kenji's desk and leaning over slightly._

_Kenji Tsukino leaned back in his leather desk chair and studied the young man before him, "Because Mamoru I honestly thought that Usagi would out grow you or you would be tired of her by now." He reached for a cigar out of the wooden box on his desk. "Besides... do you really think that your love would last forever?"_

_Mamoru pushed away from Kenji's desk, "Yes... I truly believe that it'll last forever sir. Usako is my other half."_

_Kenji scoffed before lighting the cigar, "you speak like a poet Mamoru. You know that the world is not such a kind place. Look to your own family if you don't believe me. Your mother was killed in a car accident and since your father ignores you and your sister Rei like you both have some sort of disease. Do you really think you could love Usako without turning into your father?"_

_Mamoru frowned at Kenji, "Yes sir. And my father is a good man, his only fault was that he loved my mother too much to live completely without her."_

_Kenji waved this away, "Your sister is a close friend of Usagi's I hope that Rei will be able to support her after disappear for a while." Kenji pulled a heavy envelope from the breast pocket of his suit jacket, "There's a half million American dollars in there. Take it and leave my daughter be. If you don't I will have you arrested... after all there's a large age gap between you and Usagi."_

_Mamoru stared at Kenji hoping that this was some sort of joke, then with a scowl shoved the money back at the old man, "I don't need your money." He said and turned storming from the room._

_-End Flash Back-_

Usagi was floating in a soft cloud of security, but she could feel herself being pulled strongly in one direction. A voice was whispering in her head that it'd be so easy to give in and float there in the comforting darkness forever. But there was another voice, a more annoying voice that told her that she shouldn't go into the darkness that pulled at her. And the more Usagi fought the comforting dark, the more scared she became of it because it was hard to find that inky blackness. Finally she forced her eyes open and groaned at the blinding light that was above her. She attempted to lick her parched lips and tried to talk and was suddenly fully aware she was awake and she was very very scared. There was a tube down her throat, and she couldn't talk or even lick her lips as she had wanted because the tube was in the way. She flicked her eyes around the sea of faces she could now see above her and started to panic not seeing anyone or anything familiar to her. Mamoru stepped between the crush of medical personnel in Usagi's hospital room and looked down at her, a offered her a shaky smile.

"Hey Usako," He said his relief almost palatable in the air between them

Usagi blinked her eyes and tried to shy away from Mamoru.

"No, please you've scared the hell out of me Usako... out of all of us." Mamoru said clutching her hand to his chest.

Usagi tried to frown and groaned a little when it hurt her head and throat, then she stared a question at Mamoru, though she was no longer trying to disengage her hand from his.

"Me, Nephrite, Ami, my sister Rei, Minako, and Makoto are all here. Your family is on the way, and also your friends Amanda and Donald." Mamoru explained

Usagi felt her eyes widen slightly at the list of people he supplied.

"Ah...you've been unconscious for six days Usako," Mamoru explained.

Usagi tried to shake her head in the negative and groaned again when it pulled on the tube, she crossed her eyes trying to look down at the blasted thing, then back to Mamoru.

"Your heart and lungs stopped, they had to intubate you to continue your life patterns." Mamoru sank into the chair next to Usagi's bed and pressed her limp hand to his forehead his shoulders trembling. "I thought I had lost you Usako, when I saw your car wrecked on the side of the road." He looked up at her again with anguished tear filled eyes.

Usagi closed her eyes for a long moment to get away from the pain in Mamoru's face then opened them and glared at him.

Before he could answer a commotion outside the hospital bed caused him to stand up and turn toward the door, his stance protective over Usagi's bed. However he came face to face with Kenji Tsukino, and his wife and Serena's brother Shinji.

Kenji quickly scanned the room resting on Mamoru and Usagi's joined hands before moving back to Mamoru. "You!" He said slowly with emphasis, then started toward Mamoru with a determined look on his face.

Mwahaha Stay tuned for chapter 7


	7. Chapter 7

Story Of Love

* * *

Chapter 7

"You..." Kenji Tsukino said as he advanced on Mamoru

Mamoru met the man half way and the two became locked in a staring contest, midnight blue orbs met brown and sparks flew.

"What are you doing here?" Kenji grit out between his clenched teeth

"If you haven't noticed, I was conversing with your daughter." Mamoru said his own teeth clenched tightly

Usagi, Ilene, and Shenji, Usagi's younger brother stared at the two glaring men in half fascination half confusion.

"Kenji, Mamoru was kind enough to have Nephrite contact us when Usagi was injured, I'll also point out that he's the one that found her whens he wrecked her car and saved her." Ilene finished frowning at her daughter though her frown was one of concern.

"You're assistance was much appreciated Mr. Chibi, however I have to ask you to leave right now." Kenji said

"It's Chiba... and I'll leave when Usako asks me to, not be fore. Not this time old man." Mamoru replied

Usagi stared between her father and Mamoru feeling a bit like she was watching a boxing match and shook her head slightly. She couldn't talk because of the tube down her throat but she was concerned about the hostile energy between Mamoru and her father. So with a flailing motion she reached the call button for the nurse and pressed it continuously until a red headed nurse stuck her head in the door.

Molly Hastings, a veteran nurse of over ten years experience gather her reputation around her shoulders like a shawl and waded into the swirling tempers that were drifting through the patients room, "Sirs, I'll have to ask you to leave. The patient is not well and I can't have you upsetting her." Molly looked around the room. "Actually I think it's best you all leave, visiting hours are drawing to an end."

Mamoru's gaze slid away from Kenji's as he nodded to the nurse, "yes ma'am." Then he turned moved to Usagi's bed once more and stared down at her. He lifted a hand and ran his index finger down her cheek. "I'll come by tomorrow." He said before turning and brushing past Kenji intentionally bumping the older man with his shoulder.

"The hell you will, chibi!" Kenji yelled after Mamoru

Shinji grabbed his dad by the arm and dragged him out of the hospital room sending a worried glance back at his sister before the door closed behind them.

Ilene walked over to Usagi's bed and stared worriedly down at her, "Bunny I'm so glad you're okay. And so furious at you for driving while drunk." She said then with a sigh hearing muffled arguing leaned down and kissed Usagi's forehead. "We'll come back tomorrow, hopefully when Mr. Chiba isn't here."

Usagi nodded slightly and winced at the pain in her throat, once the door closed behind her mom she motioned for the nurse to come closer and wrote on a tablet on the table next to her.

"I don't want to see anyone..." she held the note up to the nurse and looked at her with pleading eyes

Molly nodded and patted the girls shoulder, "I'll make sure you're not disturbed honey." She said before exiting the room as well.

Usagi finally alone with her thoughts closed her eyes and heaved a deep sigh that hurt her throat since she still had the tube down it. She glanced out the window at the setting sun and slowly let her mind g return to the past.

-Flash back-

_Usagi frowned staring down at the physics text book in front of her, how Mamoru or Ami ever understood this crap was beyond her. She chewed idly on her pencil as she tried to make sense of the formulas. She looked up at the sound of a bell over the diner's door and smiled when Mamoru appeared._

"_Mamo-chaaaaaaaaannnn! Do my homework!" She whined as he walked towards her_

_Mamoru grinned and took off his sunglasses putting them in the front pocket of his hideous jacket, "Not on your live Usako. But I'll help you with it."_

-End Flashback-

Tears slowly seeped from Usagi's eyes as she laid on the bed, all she had wanted when she moved to Baltimore was to get away from Mamoru...

'Life is not always what you'd expect it to be'

The words flowed through her mind as she drifted off to sleep

Mamoru exited the hospital as his phone rang he stopped and looked at it a frown creasing his brow, why would his father's secretary be calling him at this time of the day.

"Hello, Nozumi what's the problem?" He asked a sinking sense of dread filling him.

"Mr. Chiba, it's your father... I'm afraid he suffered a major heart attack in his sleep last night and passed away."

Mamoru's head suddenly felt like it was filled with white noise at the secretary's words. His father was dead? Couldn't be, Mamoru had just seen him last month.

"Mr. Chiba?"

Mamoru stood statue still as his mind tried to assimilate the information.

"Mr. Chiba, I really need to you return to Japan as soon as you're able. There's an emergency board meeting set for whenever you arrive." Nozumi said

Mamoru sways as his hearing and senses suddenly returned along with a crushing grief at the loss of his last parent, "I hear you Nozumi. I'll return to Japan tomorrow I just need to make some arrangements."

Mamoru hung up with his fathers, no his secretary now he supposed and dialed Nephrite's number, "Neph, I need you to keep an eye on Usagi for me.. there's been an emergency back in Japan and I don't know how long it'll take me to handle issues there. Let Rei know. Thanks... " Mamoru started to hang up when he remembered the cat he had stepped on, "Oh and feed the cat in my apartment back in Baltimore." He hung up hid phone knowing that Nephrite would do exactly what he asked and hailed a taxicab.

"Take me to the airport," he ordered and settled back into the seats of the cab.

-Flash Back-

_Mamoru stared up at the window to Usagi's room, it had been weeks since his 'meeting' with her father and he had done as Kenji had asked. Not because he asked, but because he didn't want to cause trouble between Usagi and her father. And if Mamoru were honest with himself. He wasn't 100% sure that Usagi would choose him over her father._

_He saw the curtains at her window move and stepped back further allowing the night time shadows to conceal his presence and feeling a lot like a stalker/pervert by his own actions._

_He watched as she some how saw him and ran out of the house holding the locket he had given her, he watched as she collapsed on the sidewalk not five feet from where he stood and broke into the most heart rending sobs he had ever heard. _

_**-**_End Flashback-

Mamoru settled into the seat of the airplane and stared out the window as the vehicle began to taxi down the run way.

"I'll be back Usako, and this next time I won't ever leave you again." He said before closing his eyes for the long flight.


	8. Chapter 8

A Story of Love

Chapter 8

"What do you mean I can't go see my daughter?!" Kenji Tsukino yelled at the same nurse from the night before.

Molly crossed her arms over her chest and eyed the little man from her impressive height of almost six feet, "I mean Mr. Tsukino that your daughter has requested that no one disturbs her. That means family or friend."

Kenji fumed his eyes narrowing, "We'll just see about that." He said before turning and storming off Ilene hurrying after him after telling Shinji to stay in the waiting area.

"Kenji Tsukino you stop right this moment!" Ilene yelled after her husband, she'd had about enough of her husband's stubborn pig-headedness.

Kenji stopped at the tone of voice his wife used and took a steadying breath before his shoulders slumped and his head dropped, "Have I really become such a monster Ilene?" He asked in a whisper

Ilene looked at her husband and sighed taking his hand and leading him out to one of the private gardens the hospital had for patients, bright sunlight spilled into the walled garden, and squirrels and birds were everywhere. Ilene led Kenji to a stone bench and pushed him to sit on it before looking down at him with a sad expression on her face.

"Kenji, you're not a monster, however in the case of Bunny and Mr. Chiba I do think you're being unreasonable." Ilene held up a hand when she saw he was going to interrupt her, "No just listen to me Kenji."

Kenji sighed and took his glasses off before looking up at his wife.

Ilene nodded and knelt in front of him so they were almost eye level, "Kenji almost six years ago you scared away the man that Bunny loved. I don't know if Mr. Chiba really did it because he was afraid of your threat. Or for some other reason, but the actuality is, is that he disappeared from Bunny's life which is what you wanted."

Kenji nodded still listening to Ilene.

"However Bunny has been miserable since he left her, she's been lonely, depressed, and she even moved half way around the world. Don't you think after seeing them yesterday you should let them have a chance again? Bunny isn't a child anymore, and Mr. Chiba is the acting head of the Chiba Corporation." Ilene grinned up at her husband from her kneeling position. "After all the Chiba Corporation has more influence than you."

Kenji scowled knowing that what Ilene said was true, he leaned back on the bench and took her hand while thinking about what she said. Could he allow Usagi and Mamoru to date again? The thought made him angry he still felt that the age difference was too large. He closed his eyes thinking about the past.

-Flash Back-

_Kenji paused outside Usagi's room his hand raised to knock, but he could hear his daughter's tears through the door. She had taken Chiba's disappearance harder than Kenji had thought she would. It had been two weeks since Usagi had heard from Chiba and his daughter was heartbroken. He turned with a heavy sigh wondering if he had done the right thing, but it was too late to change his mind now. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and started down the hall toward his and Ilene's room only to notice his wife standing outside their door a frown on her face._

"_I liked Mamoru Chiba, Kenji he was good to Bunny." Ilene said _

_Kenji's expression hardened, "It's puppy love Ilene. She'll forget him soon enough."_

"_I think you're wrong Kenji," Ilene said before turning and walking into their bedroom._

_Kenji started to follow her but the door closed in his face. _

-End Flash Back-

Kenji smiled slightly as he remembered that he had slept on the couch a lot during that time, his wife mad at him for upsetting their daughter. And apparently Usagi hadn't gotten over Mamoru Chiba; he opened hi s eyes and nodded ever so slightly at Ilene. "I can let them decide their lives on their own this time Ilene, they're not children anymore. I suppose that I should go apologize to Chiba."

Ilene smiled brilliantly at Kenji and stood kissing his cheek, "I'll go see if I can get into Bunny's room while you do that." She said as she turned and walked back into the hospital.

Kenji sat on the bench for a few moments longer trying to swallow his pride enough to let Usagi choose her own love, and he worried that he had been instrumental in causing her too much heartache five years before. With a heavy sigh he pushed himself to his feet and went in search of Mamoru, they needed to talk. Or more Kenji needed to talk and Mamoru needed to forgive him for being over protective of Usagi.


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you to everyone that's been following/favoriting this story. It's an old story and my writing style may of changed some since then. I'm rusty! D: anyway thank you and I think there's only about 3 chapters left of the story depending on how long it takes me to play out the rest of the scenes.**

Story of Love

Chapter 9

"What do you mean Mamoru isn't in the United States anymore?!" Kenji blustered at a leery Nephrite.

"Sir as I explained Mamoru had an emergency phone call from his father's secretary last night as he was leaving the hospital. He was informed that his father had passed away and the board for the company wanted to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the plans for the future of The Chiba Corporation." Nephrite explained for the third time.

Kenji ran a hand down his face and sighed, of course he finally decided to let Chiba and Usagi date and the man was nowhere to be found. "When's he coming back?"

Nephrite shrugged glancing down the hallway to the rest of their group in the waiting room, he saw his two year old son shove Jadeite and Rei's daughter over and sighed, before looking back to Kenji. "He said he would let me know as soon as he was able when he'd be returning."

Kenji sighed again beginning to feel like this was going to turn in to a bigger ordeal than it had to be, he turned at the sound of Ilene's soft footsteps and held out his hand to her. "Are they letting anyone in to her room?" He asked his wife.

Ilene shook her head slightly, "No. Apparently Bunny doesn't want to see anyone. I'm worried Kenji."

-Usagi's Hospital Room-

Molly the nurse looked at the younger woman in the bed, they had removed the breathing tube this morning before all her friends and family returned, "Miss Usagi you have quite a crowd in the waiting room wanting to see you." She said Usagi's name actually sounding like Usaaag when the older woman pronounced it.

Usagi turned her head from the window and wrote something on her tablet; her doctor had informed her that he didn't want her trying to talk yet. She held the tablet up so the nurse could see it.

**I don't want to see them Molly, they'll just smother me or argue like yesterday.**

"I can understand that Usagi, but they all seem mightily worried about you." Molly said as she fluffed Usagi's pillows and refilled her water pitcher and the vase with flowers from her parents in it.

Usagi scribbled another note

**I don't care; I don't want to see anyone. And I need someone to call my editor.**

"Your editor?" Molly asked confusion showing on her face.

**Yes, I'm a published author. I missed a deadline and unless someone called my boss they probably have called the cops. I live in Baltimore; I was here in Pittsburgh visiting friends.**

"I see… "Molly murmured "I believe that tall gentleman Mamoroo called your work and school."

**Ah… I'm sure he did.**

Usagi set down the tablet and looked out the window again, after a moment Molly left her patient alone with a sigh. The girl was too young to have as much heartache as she appeared carry on her slender shoulders.

-Three Weeks Later-

"Guys I'm fine! Better than fine! Look," Usagi hopped up and down facing the veritable mob of friends and family that were trying to crowd into her small apartment. "See I'm fit as a fiddle. Even my doctor says so, and he allowed Ami to go over my chart herself!"

Almost a dozen pairs of eyes did this flicker dance where they all glanced at each other and then back to Usagi and again at each other.

"That's really annoying, just to let you know." Usagi pointed out as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Ilene gave Kenji another eye flicker and he nodded ever so slightly before stepping forward, "Usa I think you and I need to talk about something." He glanced at the others. "Would you guys mind giving us a couple hours? I feel this will be a long talk."

More lightening quick look ensued then the group turned and headed back towards the elevator.

"I have to take Rei to the airport anyway, she missed her father's funeral and Mamoru needs her back in Japan" Jadeite said.

The group was quiet a moment then they continued their walk, and Kenji turned back to Usagi.

"Shall we?" He asked motioning into her apartment.

Usagi eyed her father curiously and nodded leading the way into the apartment she moved to her favorite worn out arm chair and Kenji took a seat on the plush sofa.

"So….?" Usagi asked after her father remained silent looking anywhere but at her.

Kenji cleared his throat, this was going to be one of the hardest conversations he had ever had in his life, "Usa have you ever wondered why Mamoru Chiba vanished years ago?" he asked still not looking at her.

Usagi's eyebrows shot up in a surprised arch, her father hated Mamoru and it wasn't a secret to anyone, "I just figured he decided I was a stupid kid, and he figured I wasn't worth his time anymore." She said trying to hide the hurt and bitterness from her voice and failing.

Kenji stood and started to pace around the living room his left hand tapping against his thigh as he did, Usagi watched him in some amazement, her father only paced when he was upset about something. Suddenly he turned on his heel to face her, the sun from the window shining brightly behind him and obscuring his face from her view. "What if I told you that Mamoru Chiba left because of something I said to him at that time?"

Usagi tilted her head her father's words not sinking in at first, then her mouth fell open which she promptly closed.

"Usa say something," Kenji implored and ran his hands through his hair making it stand on end.

Usagi stared dumbfounded at her father, who had just purposely messed up his facetious appearance, which truly showed how agitated he was. Slowly a red flush of color started around Usagi's collar bone and flooded up her neck and into her face, her breathing became rapid and she yelled at the top of her lungs. "WHAT DID YOU DO? WHAT DID YOU SAY TO HIM?"

Kenji looked at Usagi and swallowed, "I told him that if he didn't stay away from you I would have him arrested for dating a minor." He said in an almost inaudible whisper.

Usagi saw red, "IT WAS YOU?! YOU'RE THE REASON THAT MAMORU JUST ABANDONED ME! HOW COULD YOU?!" she continued to yell her breasts heaving in the confines of her low cut blouse.

Kenji's eyes widened in concern as he watched his daughter, "Usa calm down…"

"CALM DOWN? HOW COULD I POSSIBLY CALM DOWN! I'VE BEEN IN AN AGONY OF LONLINESS FOR ALMOST SIX YEARS BECAUSE THE **ONE** MAN I LOVE MORE THAN ANYTHING VANISHED FROM MY LIFE. I THOUGHT FOR YEARS THAT HE DECIDED I WAS BORING AND MOVED ON!" Usagi took another breath and continued with her yelling rant, "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU DID? TO BOTH HIM AND ME?"

Usagi stopped yelling and shook her head looked at her father opened her mouth, closed it and turned on her heel and headed for the door of her apartment.

Kenji rushed after her, "Usa where are you going?"

Usagi stopped and looked over her shoulder without turning around, "I'm going to Japan."


	10. Chapter 10

A Story of Love

Chapter 10

Usagi hurried out the door of her apartment and ran towards the elevator she was already on the phone dialing BWI to order airline tickets when she heard her father chasing behind her. She ducked into the elevator door and pounded the 'door close' button until the doors slid shut in Kenji's face. If she were to stop and think about it, she'd have to say she wasn't at her most rational, however she was going back to Japan and no one was going to stop her.

The elevator doors slid open and part of the group of her friends and family turned startled faces to her, she smiled and ran through them and out of the lobby of her apartment building. She slid into one of the taxi's that were always waiting outside the door and instructed the driver to get her to BWI international airport as fast as they could.

Kenji burst through the stairwell door panting as he looked around for Usagi, "where did she go?" he asked trying to catch his breath.

The group pointed out of the building to where they could see a blonde headed woman jumping into the back of a taxicab.

"Dammit," Kenji said and still panting slumped into one of the lounge chairs in the apartment buildings lobby.

"What was all that about?" Ilene asked moving to hand her husband a cup of water from the water cooler in the corner.

"Us…. Us…" Kenji tried to catch his breath, and drink the water at the same time. Finally feeling like he could finish a sentence said, "Usa is running back to Japan now."

The group exchanged glances then Ilene put a hand on her husbands shoulder, "When?"

"Now." Kenji said then moaned dropping his head into his lap.

"WHAT?!"

"Why now?"

Makoto and Ilene said in unison, Kenji winced at the shouts and looked at his daughters friends. "Probably because I told her that it was my fault Mamoru Chiba avoided her years ago."

"Umm should we warn Rei and Jadeite that she's on her way to the airport?" Ami asked carrying Devlin, Makoto and Nephrite's son, on her hip.

Nephrite smiled a thanks to Ami and grabbed Devlin before giving him a noogie and tossing him in the air much to the toddlers delight, then he glanced back at Usagi's parents. "I think that maybe Kenji and Ilene should return to Japan as well, I don't think this little drama you started six years ago is ready to play itself out yet Mr. Tsukino." Nephrite held his hand out to Makoto, "That being said, I have to go to Mamoru's apartment and feed some stray that he picked up apparently."

Kenji watched as the couple walked down the hall before they disappeared behind the elevator doors and let out a sigh, he ran a hand down his face and looked at the others. "I suppose Nephrite's right, Shinji I want you to stay here at your sister's apartment incase she returns for whatever reason."

"Wait… I get to stay in America?" Shinji asked looking all the world like a boy in a candy store.

Kenji nodded, "Don't break anything. Also Miss Mizuno has taken time from her school work to stay with you as a supervisor."

Shinji cursed under his breath and sighed nodding, he was eighteen he didn't need a babysitter.

Ami smiled at the young man, "It's okay Shinji, It'll be fun."

"Right…" Shinji muttered but smiled at her anyway.

Usagi watched as Tokyo grew larger and larger outside the window seat of the plane she was on, she hated flying and she gripped the arm rests of her seat so tight she heard the material start to rip away beneath her fingers.

"Miss, we'll be landing momentarily can you please fasten your seat belt." A flight attendant asked in a falsely cheerful voice.

Usagi cursed and pried her fingers from the arm rests long enough to fasten the blasted contraption then went back to her clutching at the seat. She squeezed her eyes shut as the ground rose up to meet the landing gear on the plane, and with a little hop and squeak, both from the tires and the blonde on the plane, the plane slid to a smooth stop outside the terminal.

"Miss…. Miss…. Hello?!" The flight attendant said trying to get Usagi's attention her impatience starting to show. "Miss!" The flight attendant reached out and shook Usagi's shoulder.

Usagi jerked awake and blinked hazy eyes at the flight attendant, "Huh?"

The flight attendant gave her a harassed look, "we've landed miss, you have to exit the plane."

"Oh." Usagi said and stood stretching her joints popping from being held in a cramped position for so long. She grabbed her carry on and apologized to the attendant before exiting the plane at a hurried pace. She squinted at the sun as she emerged out into the crush of human traffic that was Tokyo, it took her ears a couple minutes to readjust to the sound of her native Japanese after spending so long in America. She smiled as she remembered a time when Mamoru and the others thought that she would never be able to grasp a foreign language.

-Flash Back-

_Usagi sat on a bench in the rose garden across from Motoki's cafe and glared at the jibberish on the book in front of her. She had a English test the next day and knew she was going to fail. She also knew that if she failed Mamoru and all her friends would tease her about it. At the sound of footsteps on the dry leaves she quickly shoved the book under her and smiled at Mamoru and Jadeite._

"_Mamo-chan! I'm so glad you're here." She said her smile growing larger._

_Mamoru raised a brow at his girlfriend and leaned down kissing her lightly, "Hello Usako. What were you reading when we walked up?"_

_Usagi flushed slightly and shook her head, "Nothing!"_

_Jadeite and Mamoru exchanged amused looks and Mamoru suddenly lifted Usagi into the air while Jadeite lifted the book from the ground where it fell._

"_It's an English text book Mamoru," Jadeite said laughing._

_Mamoru looked into Usagi's pouting face, "You should give up on English you'll never master it."_

_Usagi flailed in his arms and finally leaned over sinking her teeth into the side of his neck, Mamoru yowled and dropped her unceremoniously into the dry leaves on the ground. _

"_That hurt Mamo-chan! And I'll prove it to you I'll ace my English exam tomorrow!" Usagi yelled up at the laughing men._

-End Flash Back-

Usagi chuckled slightly under her breath as she hurried down the street towards the Chiba Corporation's main building. To say the least she hadn't aced the exam, if she remembered correctly she got something like a fifteen out of fifty on it.

She paused outside a tall skyscraper and stared up at the building, she was here, she just hoped that he would see her. Gathering her courage around her like a cloak and stepped into the turn-style doors, they spit her out on the inside of the building and she stood for a moment her courage flagging, she had been horrible to Mamoru last time she had seen him. What if he didn't want to see her now? Usagi gave herself a hard shake and squared her shoulders, they needed to talk and she would insist that he see her. She walked to the receptionists desk and smiled brilliantly at the young girl behind it.

"Hello I'd like to speak with Mr. Chiba," She said using the haughty tone she had perfected with annoying publishers and editors.

The receptionist had dyed baby pink hair and large cinnamon colored eyes, she eyed the blonde in front of her and turned up her nose slightly, "Do you have an appointment?"

Usagi felt her eyes narrow slightly, "no, but if you'd just tell Mr. Chiba that Usagi Tsukino's in the lobby I'm sure he'll tell you to send me up."

The receptionist blew a big bubble out of her gum and eyed Usagi from her toes to the top of her head and sneered slightly, "without an appointment I'm afraid that you will now be allowed to see the president."

Usagi took a deep breath counted to ten and opened her mouth ready to yell at the annoying pink haired hussy when from behind her she heard someone call her name. She turned in slow motion like the scene in a horror movie when you know the killers there and came face to face with Mamoru.

"Oh... umm hi Mamoru," she said taking in his appearance. She had heard that his and Rei's father had died while she was in the hospital, she could see that the loss had taken it's toll on Mamoru, there were dark circles under his eyes and he seem wan and drawn.

Mamoru stared at Usagi trying to comprehend why she was in Japan, he'd just gotten back from a lunch meeting with his sister who had arrived a few hours earlier maybe Usagi had traveled with Rei and Jadeite. "Usagi, you just missed Rei if that's who you were waiting for." He said and turned to a man that was standing behind him and gave his assistant his briefcase. "Tell the board I'm running late, I'll be up shortly."

The man bowed and hurried off to the elevators.

Usagi scuffed the toe of her shoe into the marble tile of the lobby, "actually I'm here to talk to you Mamoru." she said look up at him uncertainly. Mamoru seemed to of changed recently, as if the weight of his fathers death and having to take over the company were crushing him.

Mamoru raised a brow and sighed heavily, "there's a conference room over here we can talk in." He said turning and walking across the lobby to a pair of double doors.

Usagi nodded and started to follow but couldn't resist the urge to turn and stick her tongue out at the receptionist before the doors closed behind her.

Mamoru turned and folded his arms over his chest, the seams of his expensive suit stretching to hold the muscles she knew were right under the material. "What do you want to talk about Usagi? What could we possibly have left to say to each other?"


	11. Chapter 11

**This is not the end, but it's almost the end! For those of you that have encouraged me to continue since I picked up this story again THANK YOU! **

Story of Love

Chapter 11

Usagi scuffed the toe of her sneaker into the carpeted floor of the conference room before looking up at Mamoru who still stood with his arms crossed over his broad chest. Her pulse sped up a little now that she was allowing herself to look at him like she used to, instead of someone she hated. Though if she were completely honest with herself, she had never hated him, she'd been hurt and furious and confused but hate had never played a role in how she felt about Mamoru Chiba. If she were even more honest with herself she could admit that she was still absolutely furious, both at her father and Mamoru. They had completely left her out of the decisions in her life, they had both thought they knew what was best for her future, the more she thought about it, the angrier she got. Taking a deep breath she schooled her features into something pleasant. She wasn't here to yell at him that could happen after they said what they needed to say.

"Well?" Mamoru said feeling impatient, he was tired depressed and most of all vulnerable and didn't need his ex-girlfriend giving him the cold shoulder again.

Usagi took another breath and moved toward him, pausing only slightly when Mamoru tensed. "I spoke with my father." She started only to be cut off by Mamoru.

"I see and what did the great and powerful, Kenji Tsukino of Tsukino Sciences have to say?" Mamoru said almost sneering. He realized of course that he was being unfair, but upon his arrival back in Japan he had learned that Kenji Tsukino and his own father had been organizing a buy out because the Chiba Corporation was in financial straits.

Usagi frowned slightly, "that's uncalled for." She sighed and started again, "what I meant to say is, I talked to my father about why you left six years ago." Usagi said searching his face for a reaction.

Mamoru's posture went absolutely rigid and he stood straighter if that were even possible, "did you now? Did he tell you how I am a no good low life and how I left you because I got bored, and how you deserve better and how I'm too old for you?"

Usagi could feel her temper slipping, she had spent too many years hurt and angry over Mamoru's disappearance apparently for her to just suddenly forgive and forget.

"Why are you here Usagi? So you can stomp on my heart again? No thanks I'm hurt enough without having you add to it," Mamoru continued letting his own frustrations get the better of him, while knowing that Usagi was the victim in this farce.

Usagi could swear she could hear an audible 'snap' as her temper finally broke loose, "Excuse me?! Me stomp on your heart? Did I hear you correctly Mr. Chiba?!" she said advancing on Mamoru who had lowered his arms back to his sides.

Mamoru opened his mouth to apologize for that comment, and was cut off by Usagi lifting her hand to silence him, "No. Just shut up and listen to me," She said her cerulean eyes flashing with her temper.

"I came half way around the damn world to hear your side of the ridiculous story that my father fed me about how he threatened to have you arrested if you didn't disappear when we were younger. I figured I'd give you a chance to explain why you didn't even consult me on this matter YEARS AGO." Usagi paused bringing her voice back under control; the last thing she wanted was for the building security to escort her out of the building. "Instead you decided for whatever stupid reason you had at the time to listen to my crazy old man."

Usagi was so angry she kept switching between Japanese and English without realizing it so that the conversation if heard by anyone else would sound almost funny, Mamoru was not amused. In fact he was almost scare, Usagi's face, heck her entire head was bright red and she was panting.

"Us…" He started again.

"I told you to SHUT UP MAMORU!" Usagi said again yelling the last part.

Mamoru clamped his lips together though he was no longer annoyed looking, truthfully he looked like he either wanted to run, or cry.

"I came here so we could talk and maybe work things out between us, because as stupid as it is. And stupid as I sound saying it, I still love you Mamoru. You hear me? I LOVE YOU!" Usagi took a shuddering breath and glared at him, "but I can see that you're under some misconception that I'm somehow at fault here. If I'm at fault for anything it's for not being able to forgive you after you abandoned me!"

Once she had finished she stood there her breathing heavy as she looked at Mamoru, "I love you Mamoru." She said softly tears now clogging her throat, "however that doesn't seem to mean anything to you. Maybe it never did, and I was just lying to myself for years." She said a sob catching in her throat as she turned and excited the conference room before he could respond. Usagi straightened her spine and raised her head high as she walked past the receptionist desk. She would not let these people see her cry; she had shed too many tears for Mamoru Chiba.

Mamoru stared in a daze for a moment thinking about everything that Usagi had said he was so spaced out that he missed his chance to stop her from leaving the conference room. Shaking himself he took off running through the slowly closing door, "Usagi! Wait!" He yelled not caring who heard or saw the head of the Chiba Corporation yelling like a lunatic.

Usagi kept walking towards the turn style doors; she was done, for good this time. Except a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her around, she slammed into a solid chest and stared up into the beautiful feminine face of Zoicite, Mamoru's head of security, and Usagi's friend Ami's long term boyfriend.

"Let me go Zoi," Usagi said between clenched teeth.

"Usa, listen to him. " Zoicite replied staring down at Usagi then over at Mamoru who was stopped a few feet away. "He seems to have something important to say." Seeing that Usagi was about to pull herself free he quickly added, "If nothing else do it for Ami, she's been worried about you. All of us have been."

Usagi closed her eyes then turned her head to look at Mamoru, "I'll listen but whatever he says he has to say it here."

Mamoru nodded and motioned for Zoicite to release Usagi, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't come to you when your dad first talked to me. I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth a thousand times that I wanted to. Usagi… no Usako I love you, I have loved you since the moment you hit me with a bad test score." Mamoru took a breath, "and while I don't think I can forgive your father. I would like for you and I to try again. To start over."

Usagi looked up at the man she had loved for so many years, the man she had tried to hate for so many years, then she looked at Zoicite and was surprised to see that beyond the tall blonde Rei and Jadeite stood in the shadows by the wall. Rei was crying softly while Jadeite watched the scene in silence, Usagi finally looked back to Mamoru and offered him her hand. "Hello, my name is Usagi Tsukino. Apparently your company just bought the publisher I write for in the United States. It's a pleasure to see another native Japanese." She said feeling kind of dumb since they were standing in an office building in the middle of Tokyo surrounded by fellow Japanese people.

Mamoru chuckled slightly, "Hello. My name is Mamoru Chiba; it's a pleasure to meet you as well. I look forward to working with you in the future."


	12. Chapter 12 - End

Story of Love

Chapter 12 – Epilogue

-Three Years Later-

Usagi patted a curl into place on top of her head and sighed when she heard someone pounding on the door.

"Usagi open up!" Rei yelled

"Coming!" She called back and stood hurrying to the door, she was clad only in a white bustier and thigh high stockings. As she pulled the door half hiding behind the barrier she smiled at her friends in the hallway. Ami, Minako, Rei, Makoto and even Amanda and Madeline were standing in the hallway dressed in matching pale yellow dresses, though both Ami and Amanda were so far along in their pregnancies that they almost looked like they were wearing miniskirts compared to the other four.

"You're not even ready yet," Rei said as they pushed into the room escorting Usagi back to the dressing table and making her sit.

Minako set her massive makeup kit on the table and smiled opening the latches on it, "Don't worry we'll be done in plenty of time. " She said as she started to apply an artful coating on cosmetics to Usagi's face.

Usagi glanced around at all her friends as Minako worked her magic, they had stood by here when Mamoru left her as a teenager, and again after she and Mamoru had made up and gotten back together as adults. Usagi closed her eyes while Minako applied eyeliner and eye shadow.

-Flash Back-

"_Mamo-chan, I know you don't like him but he's still my father and still deserves to be at our wedding!" Usagi said facing Mamoru across the counter in their apartment._

"_Usako, the man made us miss years together, we should have been married by now." Mamoru argued back as he cut up veggies for their dinner._

_Usagi crossed her arms over her chest and raised a blonde brow at him, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "You're saying that, that fiasco was all Papas' fault?" _

_Mamoru looked up his knife paused mid slice and shook his head, "No Usako but the fact is he did interfere." _

_Usagi leaned against the counter her expression imploring, "Please Mamo-chan, I want no need Papa to be at our wedding. It's his right and if he doesn't walk me down the aisle who will?"_

_Mamoru set his knife down and sighed, "Usako we don't even know if Kenji and your family are coming. They were mad enough when we told them the wedding would be in Baltimore instead of Japan."_

_Usagi smiled widely and withdrew a envelope from her back pocket, "They're coming. I sent them plane tickets last month."_

_Mamoru stared at his fiancé, "So why are we arguing if my wishes apparently have no sway on your actions?" he asked his feelings hurt_

_Usagi sighed and moved around the counter into the kitchen and wrapped her arms around Mamoru's waist. "Mamo-chan don't say it like that. I just wanted everyone that's important to me to be at our wedding. I can tell them not to come if you want?" She said meaning every word_

_Mamoru smiled slightly, "No, you've already paid for the tickets I imagine that Kenji and I can get along for one day."_

-End Flashback-

"There you're done!" Minako said as Usagi slowly opened her eyes and turned to see her reflection in the mirror of the dressing table.

"Minako you did wonderful!" Usagi said hugging her friend tightly, "I look so pretty!"

Minako laughed and pried Usagi from her body, "You've always been beautiful Usa, but you'll ruin my master piece if you don't get off me."

Usagi jumped off so fast that Minako stumbled slightly.

"Now for the dress," Rei said and with Makoto's help they dressed Usagi. Ami handed her the bouquet and in less than ten minutes they were on their way to the reception hall where the ceremony was going to be held.

Usagi smiled when she spotted her father pacing back and forth in front of the double doors that opened into the chapel, she touched a white gloved hand to his arm and stared up at him through her veil.

Kenji turned and stared his mouth open slightly, his little girl was dressed beautifully, her pale yellow hair piled onto her head with flowers and pears entwined throughout. Her wedding dress was a simple white satin and lace thing, with highlights of yellow antique lace thrown. Her bridesmaids all six of them wore dress's the same yellow shade so that the yellow in Usagi's gown stood out more. He held his breath as their eyes met, and seeing how happy she was he felt the last remains of hostility towards Mamoru Chiba melt away.

"Are you ready Usa?" He asked her gruffly pulled her arm through his and smoothing it out on his forearm.

"Always ready Papa," Usagi said smiling up at him as the doors opened and the wedding procession started down the aisle. Usagi's eyes focused forward to Mamoru and she smiled brilliantly seeing the sparkle of love in the depths of his midnight eyes. The same sparkle she knew people could see in her own lighter blue ones.

"Always ready…" she whispered again as she moved to Mamoru's side.


End file.
